The Docklands print plant, which is a joint venture between Express Newspapers and The Telegraph Group, will install nine Polaris XCV-S violet platesetters.

The nine lines will run on an Arkitex workflow and will image around 35,000 plates per week. The deal also includes a five-year contract for Agfa's N91v violet plates.

Three of the Polaris lines will be installed by the end of June. All nine lines will be commissioned by the end of September.

Bill Wenman, West Ferry chief executive, said that the decision to move to CTP had come after three years of testing.

"We waited for violet technology as we believe that it offers a number of advantages, such as longer life of the diode and lower cost of replacement," he said.

"All of our customers are looking forward to the improved quality and later offstone deadlines."

Laurence Roberts, Agfa Graphic Systems director, said: "There was a lot of hard work from both sides, but [West Ferry] wanted someone to own the whole installation. It's not just the kit West Ferry wants to be looked after."

The deal follows sales of Polaris platesetters to Trafford Park Printers (TPP), which is jointly owned by The Telegraph Group and Guardian Newspapers; and to the new Guardian Print Centre (GPC) at Newsfax in East London.

The value of the deal remained under wraps.

Story by Josh Brooks